Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information processing system

ABSTRACT

It is determined that the multi-function peripheral operates according to a first mode in which user authentication is available and department authentication is not available or operates according to a second mode in which both of the user authentication and department authentication are available. In a case that the multi-function peripheral operates according to the first mode, user authentication information is transmitted to the multi-function peripheral. In a case that the multi-function peripheral operates according to the second mode, authentication information is transmitted to the multi-function peripheral. The authentication information is used to causing the multi-function peripheral to perform selection authentication before performing a job. The selection authentication is one selected from the user authentication and department authentication by a user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technique for causing amulti-function peripheral to execute a job.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, office environments have existed in which a departmentauthentication (department management) is used for budget management foreach group or department, when using an image forming apparatus.However, because of a rise in security consciousness in recent years,environments in which, in place of department authentication, userauthentication is used are increasing. Furthermore, there have come tobe many office environments that permit the execution of a job forcopying or scanning in cases where user authentication is used.

Also, an authentication operation is performed by allowing a user toinput authentication information (for example, a user name and apassword) using a user interface such as a touch panel of an imageforming apparatus, and verifying against a pre-registered userinformation database.

In user authentication using a user interface of the image formingapparatus, it is possible to first display an authentication screen, andthen to only allow execution of jobs after the user authentication hasbeen executed by performing screen control such that various functionscreens are only displayed after having completed the userauthentication.

For this reason, systems exist in which, for a print job transmittedfrom an external device, the print job is temporarily saved by the imageforming apparatus in order to allow the user authentication to beexecuted, and after execution of the user authentication by a userinterface of the image forming apparatus, print job processing isinitiated. Also, it is possible to use both user authentication anddepartment authentication (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-4087).

Meanwhile, in a case where a job, such as a print job, a remote scanjob, or a fax transmission job, is caused to execute by the job beingtransmitted from an external device, such as a personal computerconnected to the image forming apparatus via a network by driversoftware, the department authentication is mainly used, and for aportion of driver software, the user authentication is used.

However, in the conventional techniques, there is the following problem.Because the department authentication is performed by a verification ofa numeral department ID and a password for each department, the totalnumber of combinations is small compared to the user authentication, andso security strength is low. On the other hand, conventional driversoftware which does not support the user authentication can only use thedepartment authentication. For this reason, image forming apparatusesmake the department authentication useable for execution jobstransmitted from external devices even if the authentication mode setfor the image forming apparatus is the user authentication in order topreserve compatibility with conventional driver software and allow jobsto be executable. For this reason, there is a problem in that a jobexecution path by which the user authentication is not performedremains. Also, from a security perspective, it is an undesirablesituation where the same authentication mode as the authentication modeexecuted by a user interface of the image forming apparatus for anexecution job from an external device cannot be applied.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was conceived in view of these kinds of problems,and provides a technique for making a user authentication applicable foran execution of a job inputted into a multi-function peripheral from anexternal device, and making an authentication mode selectable inaccordance with an operation policy in a user environment where only theuser authentication is useable while preserving compatibility withconventional driver software as much as possible. Also, theauthentication mode is caused to match for the above described externaldevice and the multi-function peripheral.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an information processing apparatus capable of networkcommunication with a multi-function peripheral, the apparatuscomprising: a determination unit configured to determine that themulti-function peripheral operates according to a first mode in whichuser authentication is available and department authentication is notavailable or operates according to a second mode in which both of theuser authentication and department authentication are available; and atransmission unit configured to transmit, in a case that thedetermination unit determines that the multi-function peripheraloperates according to the first mode, user authentication information tothe multi-function peripheral, the user authentication information beingused to causing the multi-function peripheral to perform the userauthentication before performing a job, and transmit, in a case that thedetermination unit determines that the multi-function peripheraloperates according to the second mode, authentication information to themulti-function peripheral, the authentication information being used tocausing the multi-function peripheral to perform selectionauthentication before performing a job, the selection authenticationbeing one selected from the user authentication and departmentauthentication by a user.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an information processing system having a multi-functionperipheral and an information processing apparatus capable of networkcommunication with the multi-function peripheral, the multi-functionperipheral operates according to a first mode in which userauthentication is available and department authentication is notavailable or operates according to a second mode in which both of theuser authentication and department authentication are available, theinformation processing apparatus comprising: a determination unitconfigured to determine that the multi-function peripheral operatesaccording to the first mode or operates according to the second mode;and a transmission unit configured to transmit, in a case that thedetermination unit determines that the multi-function peripheraloperates according to the first mode, user authentication information tothe multi-function peripheral, the user authentication information beingused to causing the multi-function peripheral to perform the userauthentication before performing a job, and transmit, in a case that thedetermination unit determines that the multi-function peripheraloperates according to the second mode, authentication information to themulti-function peripheral, the authentication information being used tocausing the multi-function peripheral to perform selectionauthentication before performing a job, the selection authenticationbeing one selected from the user authentication and departmentauthentication by a user.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an information processing method performed by an informationprocessing apparatus capable of network communication with amulti-function peripheral, the method comprising: a determination stepof determining that the multi-function peripheral operates according toa first mode in which user authentication is available and departmentauthentication is not available or operates according to a second modein which both of the user authentication and department authenticationare available; and a transmission step of transmitting, in a case thatit is determined in the determination step that the multi-functionperipheral operates according to the first mode, user authenticationinformation to the multi-function peripheral, the user authenticationinformation being used to causing the multi-function peripheral toperform the user authentication before performing a job, andtransmitting, in a case that it is determined in the determination stepthat the multi-function peripheral operates according to the secondmode, authentication information to the multi-function peripheral, theauthentication information being used to causing the multi-functionperipheral to perform selection authentication before performing a job,the selection authentication being one selected from the userauthentication and department authentication by a user.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to theattached drawings).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view for illustrating an example configuration of aninformation processing system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for showing an example configuration of an MFP101.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for showing an example configuration of a PC102.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for processing that the MFP 101 performs.

FIG. 5 is a view for illustrating an example configuration of a GUI 500.

FIG. 6 is a view for illustrating an example configuration of a GUI 600.

FIG. 7 is a view for showing an example of control of whether or not toperform execution of a job by the MFP 101.

FIG. 8 is a view for illustrating an example configuration of a GUI 800.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for processing that the PC 102 performs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter indetail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note thatembodiments described below merely illustrate examples of specificallyimplementing the present invention, and are only specific embodiments ofa configuration defined in the scope of the claims.

First Embodiment

Firstly, for an example configuration of an information processingsystem according to embodiments, explanation will be given using FIG. 1.As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system according to theembodiment, has a PC (personal computer) 102 that functions as aninformation processing apparatus, and an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral)101 which is a multi-function peripheral having a printer and a scanner.The PC 102 and the MFP 101 are connected via a network 110, and canperform data communication with each other. The network 110 may be awired connection and may be wireless.

Next, for an example configuration of the MFP 101, explanation will begiven using a block diagram of FIG. 2.

A communication unit 201 is comprised of a known communicationinterface, and performs data communication with the PC 102 via the abovedescribed network 110. For example, the communication unit 201 receivesa print job including a print command and print data, a scan jobincluding scan parameters, a fax transmission job including faxtransmission destination information, or the like, from the PC 102.

A reading unit 202 reads information printed on a recording medium suchas a sheet, and outputs a result of the reading as an image.

A control unit 203 has a configuration for storing computer programs anddata including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an HDD (hard disk drive), or thelike (not shown), and a configuration for executing processing using thecomputer programs and the data. For example, by the CPU loading thecomputer programs and data stored in the ROM or the HDD into the RAM andexecuting, control of operation for each functional unit that comprisesin the MFP 101 is performed, processing explained later that the MFP 101performs is realized.

An input image processing unit 204 applies various image processing (forexample, shading correction processing, MTF correction processing, orthe like) to an image output as a result of reading from the readingunit 202, and outputs the image to which the image processing isapplied.

An output image processing unit 205 applies various image processing toan image to which the image processing is applied by the input imageprocessing unit 204, and to print data in a print job that thecommunication unit 201 received from the PC 102. The image processing bythe output image processing unit 205 may be, for example, rasterizationprocessing, monochrome processing, monocolor processing, additionalimage composition processing, halftoning processing, or the like.

An operation unit 206 has a functional unit for displaying a result ofprocessing by the control unit 203 as an image, text, or the like, and afunctional unit for a user to operate in order to input variousoperation instructions, such as a touch panel screen, hard keys or thelike.

A printing unit 207 performs printing on a recording medium such as asheet based on a print job, and may use an ink and may use a toner. Inother words, in this embodiment, the printing unit 207 may have anyconfiguration in which it is able to perform printing on a recordingmedium such as a sheet.

The authentication unit 208 executes whichever of a user authentication,which is an authentication using information specific to a user, and agroup authentication which is an authentication using informationspecific to a group (hereinafter referred to as a “department”) to whichthe user belongs (for example, a department ID and password), isselected by later explained processing.

A FAX communication unit 209, through a telephone line, or the like,performs a FAX communication and performs transmission and reception ofa FAX document with a communication partner apparatus.

Next, for an example configuration of the PC 102, explanation will begiven using the block diagram of FIG. 3.

A communication unit 301 is comprised of a known communicationinterface, and performs data communication with the MFP 101 via theabove described network 110. For example, the communication unit 301transmits a print job including a print command and print data, a scanjob including scan parameters, a fax transmission job including faxtransmission destination information, or the like, to the MFP 101.

A control unit 302 has a configuration for storing computer programs anddata including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an HDD (hard disk drive), or thelike (not shown), and a configuration for executing processing using thecomputer programs and the data. For example, by the CPU loading thecomputer programs and data stored in the ROM or the HDD into the RAM andexecuting, control of operation for each functional unit that comprisesin the PC 102 is performed, and processing explained later that the PC102 performs is realized. In such computer programs, driver software ofthe MFP 101 is included.

A command processing unit 303 generates commands for causing the MFP 101to execute print jobs, scan jobs, or fax transmission jobs, and thecommunication unit 301 interprets the commands received from the MFP101.

An operation unit 305 is comprised of a mouse, a keyboard, or the like,and a user of the PC 102 is able to input into the control unit 302various instructions by operating the operation unit 305. A display unit306 is comprised of a CRT, a liquid crystal screen, or the like, and isable to display an image, text, or the like, as a result of processingby the control unit 302.

Next, explanation will be given for processing that the PC 102 performsin order to transmit various jobs such as those described above to theMFP 101 using FIG. 9 which shows a flowchart for this processing.Processing in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. 9 is processingperformed by the control unit 302 executing driver software of the abovedescribed MFP 101.

Here, prior to performing the processing in accordance with theflowchart of FIG. 9, setting such as that described below is performedin advance using GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces) shown in FIGS. 5 and 6on the side of the MFP 101.

-   -   setting of whether or not a user authentication is required in        order to execute a job transmitted from the PC 102 (a first        setting)    -   setting of whether or not a group authentication is required in        order to execute a job transmitted from the PC 102 (a second        setting)

The GUI 500 shown in FIG. 5 is a GUI for performing the second setting,and when a user inputs an instruction for performing the second settingby operating the operation unit 206, the control unit 203 displays theGUI 500 exemplified in FIG. 5 on the operation unit 206 (touch panelscreen).

When the user sets a check-box 501 on the GUI 500 to a checked state(enables) by operating the operation unit 206, the control unit 203 setsso that the group authentication is prohibited. On the other hand, whenthe user sets the check-box 501 on the GUI 500 to be unchecked(disables) by operating the operation unit 206, the control unit 203sets so that the group authentication is permitted.

In an initial setting, even in a case where the authentication mode isset to the user authentication in the MFP 101, compatibility with thedriver software operating on the PC 102 is considered to be important,and the check-box 501 is not checked, permitting the groupauthentication. In general, the department authentication, which is agroup authentication, is an authentication by a department ID andpassword, and compared to a user authentication by a user name and apassword including English text and numerals, for example, a securitystrength relating to the authentication is lower. For this reason,checking the check-box 501 in order to make the security strength of theauthentication higher may be performed.

Note, an activation of the GUI 500 and an operation input with respectto the GUI 500 are assumed to be possible only in a case of anadministrator authority of the MFP 101. Also, it is assumed that the PC102 is able to obtain a result of setting using the GUI 500 via thenetwork 110.

The GUI 600 shown in FIG. 6 is a GUI for performing the first setting,and when a user inputs an instruction for performing the first settingby operating the operation unit 206, the control unit 203 displays theGUI 600 exemplified in FIG. 6 on the operation unit 206 (touch panelscreen).

When the user sets a check-box 601 on the GUI 600 to a checked state(enables) by operating the operation unit 206, the control unit 203 setsthat “the user authentication is required in order to execute a jobreceived from the PC 102”. Meanwhile, when the user sets the check-box601 on the GUI 600 to an unchecked state (disables) by operating theoperation unit 206, the control unit 203 sets that “the userauthentication is not required in order to execute a job received fromthe PC 102”. If, in a state where the check-box 601 is enabled, a jobfor which the user authentication cannot be performed is received fromthe PC 102, the control unit 203 treats the job processing as an error,and records an error history.

Note, an activation of the GUI 600 and an operation input with respectto the GUI 600 are assumed to be possible only in a case of anadministrator authority in the MFP 101. Also, it is assumed that the PC102 is able to obtain a result of setting using the GUI 600 via thenetwork 110.

In step S1101, the control unit 302 determines whether or not thecontents set using the GUIs 500 and 600 on the side of the MFP 101 (thedevice configuration information) are already acquired from the MFP 101.In a case where the result of the determination is that the contents arealready acquired, the processing proceeds to step S1102, and in a casewhere the contents are not acquired the processing proceeds to stepS1105.

Note, the device configuration information is not limited to contentsset using both the GUIs 500 and 600, and may indicate whether or notcontents set on either of the GUIs 500 and 600 is enabled (that acheck-box is enabled). Also, configuration may be taken so that otherinformation is included in the device configuration information, andinformation such as a paper feed tray configuration, an optionconfiguration, or the like, and a setting value pertaining to anauthentication mode, an authentication algorithm, or the like, may beincluded.

In step S1102, the control unit 302, referencing the deviceconfiguration information, determines whether or not the first settingis enabled (it is set that the user authentication is required in orderto execute a job received from the PC 102). If the result of thisdetermination is that the first setting is enabled, the processingproceeds to step S1103, and if the first setting is not enabled, theprocessing proceeds to step S1104.

In step S1103, the control unit 302 selects the user authentication asthe authentication mode to perform the authentication prior to theexecution of the job on the side of the MFP 101, and a GUI 800,exemplified in FIG. 8, is displayed on the display unit 306. The GUI 800is a GUI for setting a user name and a password used in the userauthentication.

A region 801 is a region for inputting the user name, and the user isable to input a desired user name into the region 801 by operating theoperation unit 305. A region 802 is a region for inputting the password,and the user is able to input a desired password into the region 802 byoperating the operation unit 305.

Also, by the user making an instruction on a button 803 by operating theoperation unit 305, the control unit 302 acquires an ID (a departmentID) of a department corresponding to the user name (a department thatthe user belongs to) from the MFP 101 and displays it on the GUI 800. InFIG. 8, the department ID acquired and displayed is “1111”.

Then, when the user makes an instruction on an “OK” button afterinputting the user name and the password on the GUI 800 by operating theoperation unit 305, the control unit 302 controls the command processingunit 303, and a command {authentication mode=user authentication, username=user name inputted into region 801, password=password inputted intoregion 802} is generated. Then, the control unit 302 transmits thiscommand to the MFP 101 by controlling the communication unit 301, andcauses a request for execution of a job accompanying user authenticationprocessing to be performed.

Note, there are two types of execution timings for authenticationprocessing in which there is exchange between the PC 102 and the MFP101. One is where the MFP 101 performs the authentication processingupon reception of the job. The other is when prior to the execution ofthe job, the authentication processing is performed. Because, in thecase of the latter, the result of the authentication is obtained priorto the execution of the inputting of the job, it is possible to avoidinputting of a job in which there is an authentication failure. However,because in such a case there is a presupposition that the result of theauthentication, corresponding to an authentication command, is notifiedof by the MFP 101, this cannot be used in an environment in whichcommunication from the MFP 101 to the PC 102 is difficult.

However, the configuration of the command that is transmitted may bechanged as appropriate according to the circumstances. Also,configuration may also be taken such that the command is transmitted tothe MFP 101 after having encoded or encrypted a portion or the whole ofthe command.

Also, the setting of the user name and the password using the GUI 800 isnot limited to being performed at this point in time, and may beperformed immediately before the transmission of the job, andconfiguration may also be taken such that it is performed in advancebefore initiation of the processing in accordance with the flowchart ofFIG. 9. Note, for the user name inputted into the region 801 of the GUI800, a department counter to which the department ID is associated isincremented by job processing in the MFP 101.

Meanwhile, in step S1104, the control unit 302, referencing the deviceconfiguration information, determines whether or not the second settingis enabled (prohibiting the group authentication). If the result of thisdetermination is that the second setting is enabled, the processingproceeds to step S1103, and if the setting is not enabled, theprocessing proceeds to step S1105.

In step S1105, the control unit 302 causes a GUI (not shown) forallowing selection of either the user authentication or the groupauthentication to display on the display unit 306, and a selectioninstruction from the user is awaited. Then, in a case where the userselects the user authentication by operating the operation unit 305, theprocessing proceeds to step S1103 through step S1106, and in a casewhere the group authentication is selected, the processing proceeds tostep S1107 through step S1106.

In step S1107, the control unit 302 selects the group authentication asthe authentication mode for performing the authentication prior to theexecution of the job on the side of the MFP 101, and causes a GUI (notshown) for setting the authentication information using the groupauthentication to display (GUI for authentication information input) onthe display unit 306. Then, when the user makes an instruction on an“OK” button after inputting the authentication information on the GUIfor authentication information input by operating the operation unit305, the control unit 302 controls the command processing unit 303, anda command {authentication mode=group authentication, authenticationinformation=authentication information inputted by the GUI forauthentication information input} is generated. Then, the control unit302 transmits this command to the MFP 101 by controlling thecommunication unit 301, and causes a request for execution of a jobaccompanying group authentication to be performed.

Also, the setting of the authentication information using the GUI forauthentication information input is not limited to being performed atthis point in time, and may be performed immediately before thetransmission of the job, and configuration may also be taken such thatit is performed in advance before initiation of the processing inaccordance with the flowchart of FIG. 9. Note that, steps S1105 andS1106 can be omitted from the flowchart shown in FIG. 9. In this case,if the result of the determination in step S1104 is that the secondsetting is not enabled, the processing proceeds to step S1107.

Next, for processing that the MFP 101 performs for receiving a commandthat the PC 102 transmits, explanation will be given using FIG. 4 whichshows a flowchart for this processing. Please take note that the commandthat the MFP 101 receives is not limited to a command that the PC 102generates in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. 9.

In step S1201, the control unit 203 receives a command transmitted fromthe PC 102 by controlling the communication unit 201, and determineswhether or not the authentication mode within the received command is“user authentication”. If the result of the determination is that theauthentication mode is “user authentication”, the processing proceeds tostep S1202, and if the authentication mode is not “user authentication”,the processing proceeds to step S1203.

In a case where the processing proceeds from step S1201 to step S1202,the control unit 203 executes so-called user authentication processingby determining whether or not the user name and the password within thecommand respectively match the user name and the password registered bythe control unit 203 in advance by controlling the authentication unit208 in step S1202. In a case where the result of user authenticationprocessing is that the user names and passwords do match, the controlunit 203 determines the user authentication to have succeeded, andexecutes a job attached to the command or a job transmitted from the PC102 following the command. In a case where, by the user authentication,a job is executed, the department counter is incremented using thedepartment ID set in advance for the authenticated user. Meanwhile, in acase where the user names and passwords do not match, the control unit203 determines that the user authentication has failed, and notifies thePC 102 that the user authentication failed by controlling thecommunication unit 201.

Meanwhile, in step S1203, the control unit 203 determines whether or notthe authentication mode in the command received in step S1201 is “groupauthentication”. If the result of this determination is that theauthentication mode is “group authentication”, the processing proceedsto step S1204. Meanwhile, if the authentication mode is not “groupauthentication”, the processing proceeds to step S1202 because either anauthentication designation is not made by this command, or anauthentication mode other than the user authentication and the groupauthentication is designated.

In a case where the processing proceeds from step S1203 to step S1202,the control unit 203, in step S1202, executes a job attached to thecommand or a job transmitted from the PC 102 following the command. Ofcourse, in such a case, the processing details in step S1202 are notlimited to this, and configuration may also be taken such that theauthentication is performed in accordance with an authentication modedesignated in the command, and if the authenticating succeeds, the jobis executed, and if the authenticating fails, the PC 102 is notified ofsuch.

In step S1204, the control unit 203 determines whether or not the firstsetting set using the GUI 600 of FIG. 6 is enabled (it is set that theuser authentication is required in order to execute the job receivedfrom the PC 102). If the result of this determination is that the firstsetting is enabled, the processing proceeds to step S1206, and if thefirst setting is not enabled, the processing proceeds to step S1205.

In step S1206, the control unit 203 cancels the job as an error withoutexecuting it because execution is requested for a job for which anauthentication mode, that is restricted as a setting of the MFP 101, isdesignated. Then the control unit 203 notifies the PC 102 that the jobcannot be executed by controlling the communication unit 201.

In step S1205, the control unit 203 determines whether or not the secondsetting set using the GUI 500 of FIG. 5 is enabled (the groupauthentication is prohibited). If the result of this determination isthat the second setting is enabled, the processing proceeds to stepS1206, and if the second setting is not enabled, the processing proceedsto step S1202.

In a case where the processing proceeds from step S1205 to step S1202,the control unit 203 executes so-called group authentication processingby determining whether or not the authentication information for groupauthentication within the command matches the authentication informationfor group authentication registered by the control unit 203 in advanceby controlling the authentication unit 208 in step S1202. In a casewhere the result of the group authentication processing is that theauthentication information does match, the control unit 203 determinesthe group authentication to have succeeded, and executes a job attachedto the command or a job transmitted from the PC 102 following thecommand. Meanwhile, in a case where the authentication information doesnot match, the control unit 203 determines that the group authenticationhas failed, and notifies the PC 102 that the group authentication failedby controlling the communication unit 201.

Next, explanation will be given using FIG. 7 for control of whether ornot to execute a job by the MFP 101 corresponding to a combination of asetting using the GUIs 500 and 600 on the side of the MFP 101 and anauthentication mode that a command, generated on the side of the PC 102,designates.

If the first setting set using the GUI 600 is enabled, the MFP 101,irrespective of the second setting set using the GUI 500, permitsexecution of the job (reception possible) in a case where the commandfrom the PC 102 designates the user authentication, and prohibitsexecution of the job (reception not possible) in a case where thecommand from the PC 102 designates the group authentication.

If the first setting set using the GUI 600 is disabled, and the secondsetting set using the GUI 500 is also disabled, the MFP 101 permits theexecution of the job (reception possible) regardless of whether thecommand from the PC 102 designates the user authentication or the groupauthentication.

If the first setting set using the GUI 600 is disabled and the secondsetting set using the GUI 500 is enabled, the MFP 101 permits executionof the job (reception possible) in a case where the command from the PC102 designates the user authentication, and prohibits execution of thejob (reception not possible) in a case where the command from the PC 102designates the group authentication.

In this way, by virtue of the present embodiment, the MFP 101, inaccordance with, the settings by the GUIs 500 and 600, is able toprevent the execution of a job for which the user authentication is notperformed. For this reason, it becomes possible to cause the userauthentication mode set for the MFP 101 and the authentication modeapplied for the execution of a job from the PC 102 to match.

Also, it is possible for the PC 102 to select an appropriateauthentication mode in accordance with the contents set using the GUIs500 and 600 on the side of the MFP 101, to generate a command indicatingthis authentication mode, and transmit it to the MFP 101. Furthermore,it becomes possible to preserve compatibility with conventional driversoftware that only can use group authentication by setting modificationin the MFP 101.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by acomputer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computerexecutable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on astorage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/orthat includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or moreof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by thecomputer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out andexecuting the computer executable instructions from the storage mediumto perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). Thecomputer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processingunit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network ofseparate computers or separate processors to read out and execute thecomputer executable instructions. The computer executable instructionsmay be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or thestorage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or moreof a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM),a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application Nos.2014-009785, filed Jan. 22, 2014 and 2014-250318, filed Dec. 10, 2014which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus capable ofnetwork communication with a multi-function peripheral, the apparatuscomprising: a determination unit configured to determine that themulti-function peripheral operates according to a first mode in whichuser authentication is available and department authentication is notavailable or operates according to a second mode in which both of theuser authentication and department authentication are available; and atransmission unit configured to transmit, in a case that saiddetermination unit determines that the multi-function peripheraloperates according to the first mode, user authentication information tothe multi-function peripheral, the user authentication information beingused to causing the multi-function peripheral to perform the userauthentication before performing a job, and transmit, in a case thatsaid determination unit determines that the multi-function peripheraloperates according to the second mode, authentication information to themulti-function peripheral, the authentication information being used tocausing the multi-function peripheral to perform selectionauthentication before performing a job, the selection authenticationbeing one selected from the user authentication and departmentauthentication by a user.
 2. The information processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising an obtaining unit configured toobtain a setting of the multi-function peripheral, wherein saiddetermination unit is configured to determine, on the basis of theobtained setting, that the multi-function peripheral operates accordingto the first mode or operates according to the second mode.
 3. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein thesetting obtained by said obtaining unit indicates whether or not toinhibit execution of a remote job for which the user authentication hasnot been performed.
 4. The information processing apparatus according toclaim 2, wherein the setting obtained by said obtaining unit indicateswhether or not to inhibit the department authentication.
 5. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the jobis a print job, a remote scan job, or a FAX transmission job.
 6. Aninformation processing system having a multi-function peripheral and aninformation processing apparatus capable of network communication withthe multi-function peripheral, the multi-function peripheral operatesaccording to a first mode in which user authentication is available anddepartment authentication is not available or operates according to asecond mode in which both of the user authentication and departmentauthentication are available, the information processing apparatuscomprising: a determination unit configured to determine that themulti-function peripheral operates according to the first mode oroperates according to the second mode; and a transmission unitconfigured to transmit, in a case that said determination unitdetermines that the multi-function peripheral operates according to thefirst mode, user authentication information to the multi-functionperipheral, the user authentication information being used to causingthe multi-function peripheral to perform the user authentication beforeperforming a job, and transmit, in a case that said determination unitdetermines that the multi-function peripheral operates according to thesecond mode, authentication information to the multi-functionperipheral, the authentication information being used to causing themulti-function peripheral to perform selection authentication beforeperforming a job, the selection authentication being one selected fromthe user authentication and department authentication by a user.
 7. Aninformation processing method performed by an information processingapparatus capable of network communication with a multi-functionperipheral, the method comprising: a determination step of determiningthat the multi-function peripheral operates according to a first mode inwhich user authentication is available and department authentication isnot available or operates according to a second mode in which both ofthe user authentication and department authentication are available; anda transmission step of transmitting, in a case that it is determined inthe determination step that the multi-function peripheral operatesaccording to the first mode, user authentication information to themulti-function peripheral, the user authentication information beingused to causing the multi-function peripheral to perform the userauthentication before performing a job, and transmitting, in a case thatit is determined in the determination step that the multi-functionperipheral operates according to the second mode, authenticationinformation to the multi-function peripheral, the authenticationinformation being used to causing the multi-function peripheral toperform selection authentication before performing a job, the selectionauthentication being one selected from the user authentication anddepartment authentication by a user.
 8. A non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causinga computer to function as each unit of the information processingapparatus according to claim 1.